December 16, 2007

Do You Use Google For Vanity Searching? You’re Not Alone

Duncan Riley

19 comments »

A new study from the Pew Internet and American Life Project has found that 47% of American adult internet users have undertaken a vanity search in Google or another search engine.

The survey found that more people today have searched for themselves on Google (and others) than in 2002, when the figure was 22%. 53% of US internet users admit to having looked up information about work colleagues of someone they know, such as friends, relatives, colleagues, and neighbors.

Privacy online isn’t the big concern many TechCrunch readers would presume it was, with 60% of respondents saying that they are not concerned about information about themselves online. Interestingly the lack of concern would appear to be more focused on adult users, with the study finding that teens were more likely than adults to restrict who can see their private details online on sites such as MySpace.

(via AP)

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bonnie larner

December 16th, 2007 at 5:00 pm

Vanity search? Duncan, the first thing that came to my mind was searching for a public bathroom!

Richmond, VA
USA
Duncan Riley

December 16th, 2007 at 5:05 pm

Bonnie
lol. Just to be sure, here’s a definition of vanity search”
Joe Gaylor

December 16th, 2007 at 5:05 pm

I’m surprised the number is as low as 47%, I figured it to be much higher.. Then again I must be pretty vain.
Rob

December 16th, 2007 at 5:16 pm

This is no surprise at all. Considering how much influence Google index has over peoples lives it only makes sense to be on top of it. Most prospective employers will google the candidate’s name before considering to follow up with hiring. People want to know what type of dirt on them can be dug up. Landlords may be interested what they can find about their new tenants. In fact calling this type of search a vanity search is a misnomer. It really has to do with people who care about how the world may perceive them and how internet may affect their success.
Omar

December 16th, 2007 at 5:33 pm

I search for ‘Michael Arrington’ and I only find picture of catz

LULZ
Privacy, yes of course

December 16th, 2007 at 6:03 pm

Real reason why you need to protect yourself .

Well…. nasty people can manipulate the system: Increase Health care cost, utility spam, increase cost, poor wages, etc. it can damage your children’s reputations or your life too. This is 100% fact. Be careful… Don’t show off too much privacy. Remember Amandia Knox on myspace.
http://www.showbizspy.com/2007.....efend-her/

Remember Megan Meier on myspace
http://ap.google.com/article/A.....wD8TAABS01

Its too many praying snakes on web.
Privacy, yes of course

December 16th, 2007 at 6:08 pm

Privacy…. Be careful with praying snakes on the web. There’s murder, suicide, jailed, raped, etc on myspace. Have you seen the movie called Harrison ford “Firewall”?
Andrew

December 16th, 2007 at 6:21 pm

I don’t use it for vanity search, I use it to make sure no personal information about me leaked on the internet thanks to Google crawling the sites.
Ballmer

December 16th, 2007 at 9:05 pm

I must admit I do!

fakesteveballmer.blogspot.com
42mb.com

December 16th, 2007 at 11:52 pm

I think many such private things are being searched, google might be knowing well.
Sol

December 17th, 2007 at 1:44 am

There’s a cool facebook application showing your
google results on facebook profiles..
now that vanity!
http://www.facebook.com/apps/a.....amp;ref=pd
zedwards

December 17th, 2007 at 2:27 am

I stopped using it for myself once I knocked out any of my competition. Now I practically own my name according to google. Feel bad for anyone named Paris Hilton.
I Am Not Posting To Spam My Blog

December 17th, 2007 at 3:21 am

I’m reminded of the old joke about masturbation. 80% of men say they masturbate, the other 20% lie about it. Same for vanity searching, I expect.
Martin Ringlein

December 17th, 2007 at 4:16 am

Is it really about being vain or is it more about being responsible on this over abundance of information on the web?

Aren’t most people worried about a new girlfriend/boyfriend Google’ing them? Or even a potential employeer? Maybe mom and dad are Google’ing their kids to see what they’ve been up too.

We know people are Google’ing us, so it would make sense we would want to know what they are actually finding about ourselves.
andrew wise

December 17th, 2007 at 9:26 am

Personally, I think it’s a matter of intelligence to google yourself. You damn well know an employer is going to Google you, and the last thing you want showing up is a login to some adult site, a posting of a drunken stooper picture from your friends’ website or a ridiculous nickname you were given in some fraternity/sorority function.

This is especially harming if you have a unique name, and it’s most likely your name is going to appear in every site you’ve ever been mentioned.

That’s why I like to create as many online personas as I can of myself, so that I can control what prospective employers and clients see when they Google my name.

And to help this further, I thank you,

Andrew Wise
Tim

December 17th, 2007 at 2:31 pm

I search for myself everyday.

Though admittedly I do call myself “porn”.
And normally just go straight to image search.

Still counts though.
Warren

December 17th, 2007 at 8:30 pm

Of course the teens don’t want their information viewable. Then parents finding out their dirty little secrets would be a google search away. Could you imagine being grounded over a google search?!
armygames

December 18th, 2007 at 6:08 am

I believe that they are mistaken to a large extent of this article, because the only ones are not the Americans, if not all the users of Internet around the world!!!